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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27305143">Holidate AU</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontyoureallycare/pseuds/dontyoureallycare'>dontyoureallycare</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All For The Game - Nora Sakavic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Blood, Crack mostly, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Guns, Lawyer Andrew Minyard, M/M, Meet-Cute, Shooting, Violence, like his leg is busted but i forget about it a lot, limp Neil, slut kevin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:47:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,726</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27305143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontyoureallycare/pseuds/dontyoureallycare</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Holidate AU with a foxy twist<br/>Andrew is just soft and Neil is trying his hand at spontaneity</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katelyn/Aaron Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard, Nicky Hemmick/Erik Klose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I don't want a lot for Christmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just their respective Christmases</p><p>Cw // just that whole Baltimore scene but more blood and screaming</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Andrew stubs out his cigarette on the porch railing of the ridiculously overdecorated house and walks into what he knew would constitute as mild torture in some circles. His circle in particular.</p><p>Nickys at the door ready to take his coat looking like he'd been waiting right there for god knows how long, Andrew takes a deep breath reminding himself that he likes his cousin and holidays are non-negotiable get-togethers. </p><p>“Andrew, you’re not even wearing colour! It's Christmas! What about the sweater I got you?” Nicky whines. He ignores him. </p><p>"Don't you run away from me!" Nicky yells as Andrew makes a b line for the drinks, he doesn’t make it.</p><p> He’s gets ambushed by Aaron and Katlyn, honestly, when did they get this brave? Katlyn holds out a plate of cookies and Andrew takes the whole thing, she opens her mouth to protest but at the same time someone yells something about a baby pooping in the manger and she yells out s quick “coming” and books it</p><p>“Kevin brought a mall Santa as his date” is Aarons opening line and it gets a scoff out of Andrew, huh that’s why they’ve gotten brave he’s gone soft. They make it to the drinks and watch as someone in a Santa costume makes his way through as much of the appetizers as possible while Kevin tries to talk to him, it’s pathetic honestly but also hilarious so they stand side by side and watch the sideshow attraction unfold. </p><p>“So…?” Aaron says, Andrew just raises an eyebrow hoping to deter whatever his brother wants to say. It doesn’t.</p><p>“No date then,”</p><p>“We are not having this conversation”</p><p>“Andrew come on” the pure exasperation and condescension is so heavy in Aarons tone that Andrew decides to jab a quick elbow into his ribs as hard as he can.</p><p>“Fuck you alright I won't talk about it but I was just round one Minyard, just you wait till the others get to you” a small drop of dread settles somewhere in Andrews ribcage at the prospect, Great. </p><p>They stand there is silence which is Aarons way of communicating that he didn't actually care about the bruise in his side until Katelyn walks in and drops a freshly changed baby into Andrew's arms, he really needs to work on his menacing image. Resigned to his fate he abandons his drink for his nephew giving the little blond thing a soft bop on the nose and receiving a happy gurgle for his troubles. At least Zachary wont ask him why he's single.</p><p>Wymack comes into to get a beer and grunts at Andrew in greeting. </p><p>“You see any potential in this amazing match,” he asks pointing at his already mostly drunk son hanging over a middle-aged man who had finally had his fill and had moved on to showing a gag-worthy amount of affection to his date</p><p>“Your kid your problem” </p><p>With a sigh the older man lets out an earsplitting wolf whistle which gets the two in the kitchen to pause their ridiculous little show and lookup. </p><p>“Do not fuck around in my kitchen get the fuck out of here” the date shrugs and shuffles out to the living room with his beer and Kevin, ignoring his father focuses on Andrew instead.</p><p>“Hey! Andrews here!” Wymack takes that as his cue to go check on the rest of his guests and leaves Kevin to Andrew. </p><p>“Indoor voice Day,” Andrew says taking in the slightly sorry state of the man in front of him as he shifts the baby onto his shoulder and starts rocking him, he focuses on Kevin then who upon inspection isn't as drunk as hes acting which meant something worse was up like he was heartbroken or missing his mother, fuck he really had to have a messed up best friend, not that he had any room to complain he didn't think he was capable of making friends till Kevin Day showed up in his life. </p><p>Kevin came around the counter and leaned slightly against Andrews side under the pretence of giving the now sleepy baby on Andrew's shoulder a kiss. </p><p>“How've you been?” missing his mom then, Kevin knew how Andrew was and he was always ready to complain about a breakup. A halfhearted smirk settled on his face as he continued knowing he wouldn't get an answer. </p><p>“No date?” Andrew rolled his eyes at that.</p><p>“If that's what a date looks like I think I'm doing a lot better than you think”</p><p>“That's not a date that's a holidate”</p><p>“Who the fuck have you been talking to that's teaching you such stupid shit” Andrew whispers back as they both walk to the temporary crib in the other room to lay the baby down who is now fully asleep. </p><p>“Came up with it myself,” Kevin answers his face looking almost smug. </p><p>“Do you want an award for being stupid?” </p><p>“Hey look its genius I get a date on the holidays and get to be a free man the rest of the time”</p><p>“I'm not even going to begin to tell you how crazy you sound, you can't handle holiday one night stands Kevin your definition of temporary is til death do us part”</p><p>“I got this ok, I have a handle on it, I think the key is to genuinely not give a fuck about the other guy but make sure its the same on their end, and I think it's pretty clear that I have succeeded here tonight” </p><p>“I don't want to see his face again Day” </p><p>“Don’t worry only one ride per customer, you should try it" and Andrew has had enough of this conversation, he shoves Kevins face away, grabs his drink and occupies himself with the cookies while the turkey burns like it does every year. </p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Neil is having a fantastic Christmas, really he never imagined he'd be in this situation. This situation being cuffed to a chair in his basement with blood oozing out of a burn and stab wound on his face, a psychotic woman (his stepmother) watching gleefully as his father approaches him with an axe. You really can’t ask for better sometimes.</p><p>Suddenly out of nowhere, just when he's accepted that twenty-seven is a respectable age to die at, a true Chrismas miracle happens right before his eyes and feds start rushing in and despite the dozen or so bulky new people in the room he still gets the most amazing, unobstructed view of a bullet going in one side of his fathers head and leaving from the other freezing the look of annoyance on the bastards face forever. </p><p>Christmas is probably going to be his favourite holiday from now on; really the red spreading across the cement floor is quite festive and there's the added bonus of Lola's blood-curdling screams are like a balm on his nerves as shes cuffed and dragged away by her hair. It sounds like carrols</p><p>He holds his glee back keeping up a pained face for the feds (not too difficult considering that every inch of him is bleeding and he can't really feel his right leg) No need to slow down his freedom with a psych eval, they uncuff him and cuff him again when he's in a hospital bed. There are worse places, so he gets as comfortable as he can. And really its not that hard to drift off into his first restful sleep in two decades</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p> </p><p>Andrew watches from behind his whiskey as the cheesiest thing in the world unfolds before him.</p><p>Erik Klose gets down on one knee on Christmas Day just after a truly inedible dinner and proposes to Nicholas Hemmick in Wymacks godforsaken living room. It would be tragic if it were anyone else but its them so it works. It's almost gag-worthy, but Andrew finds that he's happier than he is indifferent, there's a twist of something in him somewhere just below the sternum and he is more than capable of ignoring it and focusing instead on how in a span of two years Erik had managed to turn Nicky's life around for the better. </p><p>Samantha Aaron's oldest walks over and plops herself down into the three inches of space left on his armchair, she is essentially in his lap without actually asking to be in his lap. Smart kid. </p><p>"Uncle Andrew, why do people get married?" she asks bluntly, why she thinks he has the answer is beyond him.</p><p>"Well, there are lots of reasons to get married, Samantha. In this case, the reason is that two people love each other. Which is a pretty good reason, so they sign a contract that says that they promise to be together and they give each other rings to have something to remind them that they promised. It's not the only way to do it but its the most socially acceptable way to declare to the world that you want to love one person forever."</p><p>She makes a serious face leans back against the armrest and nods then she twists her face up and asks </p><p>"Are you married?" Andrew almost chokes</p><p>“No.”</p><p>'Oh ok, my boyfriend thinks marriage is dumb'</p><p>“If you don't agree on such milestones then perhaps you and Mike should reconsider your relationship,” Andrew says as seriously as he can when he's been thrust into 8-year-olds relationship troubles, again, besides the guy sounds self-important she could definitely do better.</p><p>“I shall take your advice under consideration,” she says solemnly and then bursts into giggles, he said it to her once when she said he shouldn't eat any ice cream other than strawberry ever again and its been their little inside joke ever since. </p><p>“Can I hug you?” she asks just as she launches herself at him without waiting for an answer, and he opens his arms just wide enough to let her wiggle into them. He really had gone soft but with her, he can't seem to bring himself to mind</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Happy New Ummm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They meet and have a Fantastic New year. well, a foxy New Year.</p><p>cw // panick attack</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>CH2</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil is enjoying himself, he's wandering through a used bookstore which is the only thing open and not crowded at this time of the year, it's the first time he's ever done </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing</span>
  </em>
  <span> and he's relishing in the feeling, even if he is a little bored.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The feds let him go this morning after more interrogation than he thought was necessary considering Lola cracked like a souffle under pressure, it's been three days and he has a new name, new postal code, an apartment and a life, he also has a cane but he’s trying to focus on the positives till New Years, he deserves a break from constant gloom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His spinning thoughts keep him from noticing his surroundings and he bumps into someone whos crouched down on the floor in front of the fiction, the man lets out a grunt and yanks Neil's foot in a swift motion and Neil finds himself flat on the ground his breath knocked out of him looking up at a blond stoic and resolutely unapologetic face hovering about a foot above him, the man gets up and makes to leave, but for some reason, he aborts the action and holds out a hand to pull Neil up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bemused Neil takes the hand surprised at the ease with which he’s lifted up, and mumbles out a “Sorry I didn't see you there,” he punctuates the apology with a laugh when he notices that despite being tiny himself he has a good few inches on the stranger.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man just stares at him, still not moving away and Neil finds that he’s not entirely uncomfortable with the situation, which is weird enough that he decides that the first thing he should do with his new freedom is not run away from not uncomfortable situations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neil," he says. Just to see if that's what the stranger is waiting for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Andrew" comes the slow reply, he shifts his eyes to the floor and back and raises his left eyebrow the tiniest possible amount. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil looks down and spots his cane </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, thanks I keep forgetting about this thing" the same blond eyebrow raises another minuscule amount but he doesn't say anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay how about instead of standing here I buy you coffee for tripping over you, you did take my breath away, I think that should count for something." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No visible response but the man starts walking away so Neil follows all the while wondering what happened to his paranoia in the five minutes since he met this guy. Oh well not like he can get stabbed in a coffee shop in broad daylight even assassins must get Christmas off. Probably. So this is clearly a safe and wise decision. He refrains from patting himself on the back for his amazing decision-making skills but it's a near thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They end up in a cafe a block away that’s tucked into a small nook almost hidden away. It's warm and done up in dark colours and the man at the counter seems to know what Andrew wants and starts making it as soon as he sees him walk in, seeing Neil walk in behind him makes him pause for just a second before making his way to the till. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello and welcome to Aroma Eden my names Roland. What can I get you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Medium black coffee and I'll be paying for the short blond as well" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roland’s eyebrows shoot up and Neil can see him trying to hold back a laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Right, that'll be $7.15" Neil hands over the cash and waits with his back to the counter and watches as Andrew makes his way to a table</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grabs their drinks and walks over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So Andrew what do you do?" Neil asks and watches as he takes a sip of his frozen creamy concoction and replies after several silent minutes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm an attorney for minors, what do you do? I haven't seen you around and this town isn't big enough to hide in" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh I just moved here, I'm in training to be a counsellor. Or I'll start training in January, get enrolled this morning. I'll probably be starting at the high school in the fall." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They lapse into intense silence after that, not uncomfortable just adjusting to each others presence, both finish off their drinks and stand at the same time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew turns to face Neil out on the sidewalk and something flashes in his eyes as he steels himself</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are your plans for New Year's"  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"None so far, what did you have in mind?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No girlfriend to kiss at midnight?" Neil actually laughs at that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, you're serious. No, I don't play that game"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That gets another raised eyebrow Neils always been good at nonverbal so he answers the silent question</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The dating game, I don't see the point. I've never been interested enough to play." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about a fake dating game" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean oh stranger I met not one hour ago, are you suggesting we pretend to date to get someone off your back?" A cheeky grin pulls at Neil’s mouth and he thinks he might actually say yes if that's the case</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure" oh this guy is interesting</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll pick you up from this cafe on New Year's seven sharp don't be late" </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew has heard the word disaster gay. He lived with Nicky all through high school and college he has intimate knowledge of all aspects of how disastrous a gay can be. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He just didn't think it would happen to him. He thought he was immune to it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But he'd just displayed distinctly disastrous qualities and he has no idea how it had happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just got caught up in blue eyes? Of all the cheesy stupid things to happen?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What the fuck is a fake dating game? What does that mean? Normal functioning adults do not play such games. He buries his face in his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Of course, his luck was intact the guy wasn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>interested</span>
  </em>
  <span> he was just stupid, and a flirt, if his flirting was unintentional Andrew was going to strangle him, its what had him presuming the guy was asking him out. Whatever he knew better now so the point was moot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still. Wow, Bee was going to have a field day, she was going to crack after twenty years of professionalism and laugh at Andrew. No, she wouldn't. She would never. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The guy was an idiot to boot. He'd followed Andrew without a word, either he was sure Andrew couldn't hurt him or he had a death wish style adrenaline addiction, the latter seemed unlikely considering how calm he'd been the whole time, but the former was a dangerously intriguing thought. It was the thought that made Andrew stupidly ask him to the world's worst New Year's party. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil Josten, too pretty for his own good. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, Andrew will get bored with him. Hopefully</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>****</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil is … excited. He thinks. Which is new. He's at the coffee shop early, afraid of being left behind if he's late. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An expensive-looking car stops outside and Andrew steps out. Neil makes his way to the door Andrew's order balanced against his cane. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gets a quick once over from the blond and a small spike of self-consciousness steals over him for a split second before he dismisses the useless emotion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrew holds a hand out for his drink and Neil smiles and hands it over with a quiet "Hello" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gets a cigarette in return and he takes it leaning in close to light his at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he has surprised the other man he can't tell, it doesn't matter, he has the whole evening to try and get a reaction. They lean against the car to smoke and then get in. They ride in silence, something vaguely jazzy playing on the stereo. Neil watches the road automatically memorising the way to the little two-story suburban house. It's oddly comfortable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You live here?" Neil askes mildly incredulous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No." Neil nods, it feels good to be right about someone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They walk up. Andrew going ahead of Neil and ringing the doorbell once before swinging the door open, there on the other side of the door is a tall broad man with an even broader grin and a dirty blond fringe fanning across his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ein frohes, neues Jahr, Andrew! Oh, and who is this?" The man said. His English deeply laced with his German accent. Neil's blood runs ice cold then burning hot then ice-cold again. He takes in a cold deep breath. It’s ok it is going to be okay he's fine these people do not know he speaks German this is just some insane cosmic joke. After a full mental breakdown wherein no one has moved and Andrew hasn't seen fit to answer the man’s question Neil replies</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neil, Andrews date." The look of happy questioning gives way to unadulterated surprise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Neil this is Erik," Andrew says finally as he pushes the giant man aside with ease. As soon as he passes the man is yelling semi-coherent sentences in German yelling for someone named Nicky to come and come quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil follows Andrew inside. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The inside of the house was decorated for Christmas, New Years and perhaps a failed baby shower since only half the decorations were decorations the other half were just children's toys thrown about in some indecipherable manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil didn't know if he loved or hated it but he did think his chances of being murdered went down with each marker covered Barbie doll.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Just checking but there are actual children who live here right these toys aren't just like for some satanic cult thing are they?" Neil asks injecting as much earnestness into his tone as he can, he's rewarded with a slight twitch of Andrew's lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes Neil, children are residents in this building, but they've been evacuated for tonight" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then they make it past the empty living area and into the very crowded kitchen where after shouting some form of a greeting to Andrew every eye in the vicinity turns and zeros onto Neil. Neil doesn't really mind</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi," he says mildly, taking everyone in. There's an Andrew lookalike hanging off of a tall redhead whose face is obstructed by New Year's glasses, an even taller blonde with her arms draped around a short stocky Asian woman with white hair that looks like it's been dipped in cotton candy, both of them are covered in plastic beads and glowing paraphernalia, looking like they'd fit in better at a club than in someone’s kitchen, all of them are staring silently at Neil like hed apparated here instead of walking in, from behind him a voice yells out</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ANDREW BROUGHT A DATE!” which seems entirely unnecessary but it breaks the silence, Neils turns slightly to locate the source of the nose and is immediately ambushed by a tan lanky man who looks to be near tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The chosen one,” he says right into Neils face which would be funny if he wasn’t being wrapped into a one-armed hug at the same time,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are my manners, I’m Nicholas Hemmick, Andrew’s cousin, but you can call me Nicky, he starts pointing at the people in the kitchen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s Aaron, Andrews twin brother but I’m sure you already knew that the redhead is his wife Katlyn and-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Allison,” the blonde interrupts loudly, she gives Neil a slow deliberate once over, and Neil has no idea what she’s looking for so he holds still for inspection, then she nods once apparently satisfied. Meanwhile, the smiling girl with the colourful hair dislodges herself from her companion and makes her way over, stopping by Andrew first, they exchange what could maybe be called a hug if you squint really hard, then makes her way over to Neil. Nicky pulls away to harass Andrew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello, I’m sorry were being so rude, but being dramatic is something all of us apparently have in common,” she says with a quick almost accusatory glance in Andrew’s direction and a sweet smile that makes Neil distinctly uncomfortable, “I’m Renee Walker, I run the martial arts club downtown, I haven’t seen you around” her tone is mild but there’s an undercurrent of warning there, Neil wonders if he’s just being paranoid. Probably not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neil Josten, I just moved here” Neil replies trying his best not to squirm under her gaze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The doorbell bell rings just then and it seems to break their stare-off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What would you like to drink Neil?" Renee asks</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I'll just take water, for now, don't really drink." She just nods and gets him a water bottle from the fridge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>More people come in, and Neil tries his best not to feel boxed in, he needs a wall behind him immediately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An excessively tall man comes in grin first with a woman in a very colourful, very long wig. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At least Neil knows these two. The woman in the long wig Dan Wilds-Boyd is the current temporary counsellor and permanent coach at the high school and the man, Matt Wilds-Boyd is in charge of Neil's training to get certified to be a counsellor. He doesn't shut up about his wife, it would be annoying but it's not because it's Matt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey! It's Neil!." Matt yells out </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil's penalty for knowing them is apparently solid thwack on the back that almost makes him stumble from Dan and a bruising hug that almost sweeps him off the ground from Matt. This party is really something, Neil hasn't been touched this much without malicious intent...maybe ever. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How come you're here? I thought you said no." Matt continues </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's Andrew's date." Pipes up the redhead- Katlyn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Andrew Minyard?" Dan asks spinning around to face the man, her beaded braids flying with her. "You're here with him?" She asks looking at Neil and pointing a long fake fingernail at Andrew</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, and you're being very rude Dan." Neil says pleasantly, "I'd really rather you didn't talk about him as though he wasn't here it's bad form, especially for an educator" she just grins at him viciously</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I knew I liked you for a reason," she pats his face "more than just a pretty face. Keep it up kiddo you'll fit right in with that attitude." With that, she walks away to greet the others and Neil finally returns the stare that's been boring a hole into the side of his skull for the past few minutes. Andrew's watching him and even though he remains mostly expressionless Neil can sense that not many people speak up for him. He makes his way over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have some weird friends"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're not friends, holidays are non-negotiable family get-togethers and Nicky somehow included New Year's." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whatever you say, Drew." Neil singsongs and finally he gets a real reaction, Andrew stiffens, in shock perhaps, then relaxes back to how he was. Well, Neil will store that away for later. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew starts moving and Neil follows, they make it to the porch and Neil feels better breathing in the cold air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You survived part one pretty well," Andrew says pulling out his cigarettes again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can't get rid of me that easily, they seem nice, do you not bring dates often?" Neil waits but gets no answer, he must be the first or the first in a very very long time, then another thought hits and he reels</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait wait wait, they don't think you’re straight do they? This isn't you coming out to them is it?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't care what they think."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's not a no, oh man that's funny, I think, morbid perhaps, but still a fun way to come out, how old are you again? 15?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where did you move here from?" Andrew asks. Done with the previous conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh here and there, never really stayed in one place too long," Neil replies waving a vague hand </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Straight to the bone, ok, well my psychotic father chased my mother and me across the country and we had to keep moving so we didn't get caught and killed" Neil throws out experimentally trying to see if he would believe him. Andrew doesn't bat an eye just nods and asks</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where is he now?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My father? Dead." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you kill him?" What a truly peculiar thing to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, but it's one good memory amongst the many many bad ones" Andrew nods at that. He holds still for a minute deliberating as he puts his cigarette out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I killed Aaron's mother, car crash."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She was abusing him, I asked her to stop nicely and she didn't listen" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That sounds plenty reasonable, now as fun, as this has been I think we should save some stories for next time, I wouldn't want to bore you." Then on an impulse, Neil holds out a hand </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wanna really shock your friends?" He asks and Andrew stares at his hand for a full minute considering then says </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No." Neil shrugs and makes his way inside but waits for Andrew to come through before going through to the living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where he is ambushed</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time by a tall drunk man. The man grasps his shoulders and shakes him, he stares at Neil long and hard but looks at Andrew when he says,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"He's too pretty to be a holidate Andrew!" Neil meanwhile is busy having a panic attack the likes of which he hasn't experienced in years, because he recognises this man - this man is Kevin Day- a solid part of his childhood, the boy who was his friend when no one wanted to be friends with the Butcher boy. Suddenly there's a calm voice cutting through the buzzing in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Only you're stupid enough to have a holidate Day." Then noticing that Neil had turned into a ragdoll under Kevin's hands Andrew is making his way over. He shoves Kevin off and grabs Neil by the back of the neck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Neil. Hey Neil, hello take a fucking breath." He says loudly and so matter of factly that Neil actually manages one, it's easier from there, one breath, another, one more and then he's standing and stable and soon as he's made sure he's not going to fall he turns and jab's a fist as hard as he can into Kevin Day's sternum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't shake people. It's not nice." He says with venom, and then he continues, against all his instincts following only his anger "I don't know if it's good to see you again." He scowls at the taller man who is now several feet away. Everyone else is just staring, they're all crowded in the hallway or peaking in through doorways, there's music blasting away something about 'that bass' but Neil doesn't care right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Again?" Kevin says one hand rubbing his chest. He looks at Neil, really looks </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nat-" Neil has a light finger against Kevin's lips just as he sees the spark of recognition and Kevin shuts up. Smart man. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Show's over folks, Andrew you said you were going to make me a drink let's go," Neil says brightly stalking into the kitchen which was evacuated during the confrontation. He can hear them talking about him, Kevin's voice conspicuously absent. He doesn't want to know what they're saying, he doesn't care. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Whatchya gonna make me?" Neil asks instead, as obnoxiously as possible. He hops onto a counter and swings his legs "whatever it is can you keep it virgin." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrew just starts mixing and in under a minute he hands Neil a light pink concoction, which after an investigative sip turns out to be strawberry lemonade, extra tart. He likes it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I like it." He says with a smack of his lips as he swings off the counter. "Ok, I'm good we can go where the people are." A slight twitch at the side of Andrew's mouth at that. Ok, so he likes Disney. Neil doesn't know why he cares.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrews rummaging around in the fridge. He emerges with a bag of peas and hands it to Neil. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil feels a grin almost split his face as he places the cold bag across his sore knuckles</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They make their way back to the living room and Neil wonders what else could possibly happen now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Andrew takes the armchair so Neil drapes himself over the arm of the chair a healthy few inches separating his horizontal body from Andrews vertical one. This gets a whole eye roll which Neil counts as a roaring success, a smug grin replaces the slightly hysterical smile on his face as he gets comfortable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The chatter absorbs them and people throw questions his way, but never at Andrew, so after a while Neil starts deflecting questions to the blond who answers in as few words as humanly possible, but he answers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Neil finds out all sorts of things about these strangers, and the information gets oddly personal the drunker they get, he knows that Matt has a belly button piercing, Allison has almost as much cash at her disposal at any given time as he does, Renee and Alison are married and have two daughters, Dan teaches dance at Renee's dojo/studio on the weekends. Aaron and Katlyn have two kids, Aaron works at the local hospital and Katlyn is a neurology professor at the university, he even knows what preschool Zach is already enrolled in, he has no clue what he's going to do with this information.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Kevin finally breaks out of his stupor around 11:30 and Neil finds out that he works alongside Andrew, he works with the parents. Custody and divorce cases, something light burns inside Neil when he hears that, he realises he's glad. Glad Kevin is ok, despite whatever is causing him to hold a very drunk giggling woman on his lap, he seems to be doing alright no one seems too bothered by the spectacle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The music gets loud as they inch closer to midnight, the people get louder as they get completely sloshed only Andrew Renee and Neil remain points of quiet in the din, though Renee is wrapped up tight enough in Alison to be lost to the two on the fringe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the ball starts dropping on TV everyone starts screaming and Neil turns to look at Andrew to see if anything is going to happen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andrew stares back at him, so Neil lifts an eyebrow in question. He gets a dismissive hand gesture in return so he does what he wants and uses every ounce of his flexibility to hang upside down about an inch away from Andrew's face so it looks to the rest of the room as though he's gone in for a spiderman kiss. He grins at the exasperation he can clearly read in Andrew's eyes at this angle and quickly pulls away before he overbalances. He doesn't need any more bruises this week. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The party goes on, the platters of tiny cheese slices, deli meats, eclairs, cake and sandwiches lie empty on the floor and a couple of people have decided that making it home is very far outside their best interest and have commandeered the couch and guest bedroom. They're making their way out Renee holding a drunk Alison in one hand and Kevin and his date in the other. Promising to get them home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neil gets exactly seven hugs (Nicky, Alison, Kevin, Kevin's date, Dan, Matt, Nicky again) two kisses on the cheek (Nicky and Alison) and an immeasurable number of back slaps on his way from the armchair and out the front door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He might need to be completely alone for a couple days to recover from this. But he finds that he doesn't feel at all nauseous, which means that he knows that these people mean no harm or that his stomach hasn't caught up to him. He wouldn't bet on the former. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a slight back and forth on who gets to drive, (Andrew wins but Neil is watching him like a hawk) they make it to Neils apartment and Neil hobbles off. He can feel eyes on him so just before the doors close behind him he turns and sends a two-fingered salute Andrew's way. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Feeling oddly satisfied by the action he makes it to bed and is asleep in minutes. </span>
</p><p> </p>
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